The use of fluid flow under positive pressure or vacuum as an expedient for the separation of particulate matter into various fractional components is well known. Devices of this nature generally known as air classification have taken advantage of differences in density, particle size and particle surface smoothness to fractionate a mass of particulate matter in a wide variety of fields.
In the field of air classification, a critical aspect of achieving sufficient particle separation to achieve effective separation is a minor limiting factor. For example, oftentimes the physical characteristics of a particular mass of feed material to be separated has a composition where the attractive force between particles results in clumps of such particles being subject to the separation process. Separating feed of this nature requires different considerations than the separation of dry highly mobile particles. This is particularly the case when animal matter such as dried fish meal is to be separated into its meat component and scale and bone components. Also, harvested seeds which could include stems, leaves, soil and other foreign debris requiring separation can have a high moisture content depending upon the climactic conditions existing at the time of harvesting. None of the separators employing fluid flow traveling through a column accounts for clumping and other physical characteristics which may characterize the particulate feed matter made subject to the separation process.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a device for separating particulate matter into fractional components which is uniquely adapted to maximize particulate separation regardless of the moisture content and other physical characteristics of such matter.